Help

Browsing the Map

  • The map works just like most other map interfaces. Click and drag to pan the map, and use the scroll wheel to zoom in and out.
  • Click on Map Search in the header to jump to any location on the map.

Guidelines for Adding Segments and Routes

We’ve written this simple set of guidelines to help you make your routes as great as possible. Please give them a quick read!

  • Keep routes simple. While it’s okay to create a route for a complete 50-mile ride, please only do so if most of the entire ride is on gravel. Routes should typically be limited to a few roads or less, which makes it easier to organize and add details to individual sections of a larger ride. If you want to map out a 100-mile mega-ride, that’s great — but you might be better off doing it in several smaller portions.
  • Add routes that you know firsthand. Gravelmap is useful because the routes on the site are added by people and can be trusted. As such, unless you are confident that the route you’re adding is accessible, try to avoid adding routes that you haven’t traversed yourself. Remote roads, such as logging roads, are especially important in this regard — the road existing on the map doesn’t necessarily mean it is accessible.
  • Follow the rules. Respect private property and No Trespassing signs, and please don’t add routes that cross private property.
  • Add lots of routes. Help people find the gravel in your area. Everybody benefits.

Adding Your First Route

  • Click on Add Route. This activates the route-adding controls.

  • Click on a point on the map where the route should begin.

  • Continue clicking on the map to add sections to the route. If you make a mistake, you can click the Undo button in the footer or click on the point and select Delete. You can also click and drag points on the map to reposition them.The route will automatically “snap” to nearby roads. To place points that don’t snap to roads, hold down the Ctrl key while clicking.

  • When the route is complete, click on Save in the footer.

  • Enter details about the route in the window that appears. The site guesses a route name based on nearby roads — you can edit or replace the route name as needed. The Description section is optional but a good place to enter any useful information about the route. You can also preview the route’s elevation profile.

  • Click on Save and you’re done. Actually, if you haven’t logged in yet, you’ll be asked to do so now. After the route is saved, you’ll be taken to its page.

Routes vs. Segments

Gravelmap contains segments and routes. Segments are shorter stretches of gravel, dirt or other unpaved surface, while routes are longer and represent complete activities.

The primary difference between the two is that routes start and end near the same location and tend to be longer, whereas segments have distinct start and end points and typically only represent one to three roads with few or no turns. Gravelmap automatically determines the type.

You can use the toggle buttons on the map view page to show or hide routes and segments.